The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-13

l
We briefly mentioned in our last issue
the fearful railroad accident which occur
red near Tihin, Ohio, on the morning of
the 4th. The following graphic account
of the aWfulW wreck and ruin resulting from
the collision of two trains is furnished to
the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, Under
date of Tifin, o., Jan. 4. A statement
from the passenger conductor is to the
effect that the freight conductor was
drunk, and that accounts for his action i'll
the accident:
215 O'Clock this morning, as Baltimore
and Ohio freight train eastbound was
pulling up a grade nine miles east of here,
and one-half mile west of the village Of
Republic, the engine, No. 726, gave out,
so the conductor, W. J. Fletcher, says
The train could go no further, and the
conductor, knowing that the limited ex-
press, No. s. was about due. grabbed a red
lantern and ran forward. He had not
gone more than twenty Car lengths when
he saw the express coming. He signalled
it, but it was then too late, as it was i'm
possible to stop the train short of mile.
In less time than it takes to say so the
two engines had come together and chaos
ensped. When the passenger engineer
saw the freight he shouted to the fireman,
Jump, jump, jump" and set the example
by jumping through the cab window. He
aEghted in a snow bank, dislocating his
knee, but being otherwise uninjured.
The fireman arose to jump, but was too
late, and two iron beams caught him at
the hips, crushing him, and holding him
ten feet in the air, where he was suspended
three hours, when death came to his re-
lief. Everything possible was done to
him, but to no avail. He was given
whisky and morphine by the doctors, but
retained consciousness to the last. His
name was William Fredericks, and his
mother resided at Washington, D. G.
| Within five minutes after the collision
the wreck was on fire, and the baggage and
express and smoking cars, which had been
completely telescoped, were enveloped by
flames. The scene now beggared de.
scription. From the smoking car issued
cries, groans and prayers. The passengers
in the regular coach were all thrown from
their seats and. or less injured One
young lady fell on stove and a man had
bis hand terribly bruised in rescuing her
A bride and groom of two weeks were in
the car, and he was rendered insensible by
the shock. His bride did not flee anG
leaye him, however, but, grasping him by
the feet, pulled him from the car and thus
saved him from horrible death. He re
covered in short time, and they took tht
PENNSYLVANIA for Detroit. The tive
sleepers did not leave the track, and were
uncoupled at once and pushed back from
the fire. All of the rest of the passenger
train burned up, and when daylight
dawned nothing was left of it but few
hot wheels and rods.
There were fourteen or fifteen persons
in the smoking car, and all of them FER
ished in the flames, and their bodies wer'
burned to unrecognizable masses. On
man alone escaped from the smoker. III
/, was thrown through the roof Of the ca
+. high in the air. His spine was injured
and his head badly burned. He had tn
: appearance Of an Irish emigrant, and wa
delirious when taken out. He could nc
give his name, and just before dying, bt
ing asked about where he lived. said ps
thetically he had no home.
Among those who persisted in tb
smoker was a man named Joseph 20
tlethwaite, aged fifty seven, and his tw
sons, Spencer and Henry, aged respec
lively eighteen and eleven. He was on h
way to Chilicothe, Mo-, near where
st had brother living. He came from Ne
Martinsville, Va, where be had sold
farm last Thursday. He had the proceet
of the sale in his pocket, and twas burn'
y up, amounting to about 81 800 His wi
and three small children, who were in tt
other car, were saved, and are at the v
d, lage of Republic now. Your correspo
L dent interviewed them, and found t
mother heartbroken and bemoaning h
terrible loss. The children played al
st st lessly around, not knowing what had b
:; fallen them. The smallest child, me
babe, was very sick, having been throw
k, out in the cold snow with the temperate
a at zero, and probably before another d
i'd goes by, the mother will be called upon
y mourn the loss of another dear one.
3 When the passengers who had escap
ng from the rear cars came to their sens
Oh they commenced at once to try and
- aid those imprisoned in the burning bi
gage, express and smoking cars. .
man, whose body was hanging out OF
SIS window, was found to be fastened by
ne legs SO that he could not be taken out.
this position he was literally burned
by inches. He confiled his watch a
= papers to a bystander, and sent word
his family. His name is either O.
&c Bradley. or NJ. Fl. Parker, OF IL :
hs street, Washington. D. G. The abb
- two names have gotten mixed in theme